Our Volunteers

Answering the Call: Milena’s Story

Milena Moncada knows that being a Nanny Angel means making a deep commitment to providing care and compassion to children in need. Ten years ago, Milena had lost her dad and best friend to cancer. It was a devastating experience, and she struggled with dealing with the accompanying grief for several years.

After overcoming this trauma, Milena knew she wanted to give back to her community by supporting families going through similar experiences.

Milena worked as a sales manager at a car dealership. Although her job allowed her to utilize her people skills, she yearned for a more rewarding experience. That opportunity came once she retired. She began volunteering at organizations that provided support to families in her community. Drawing on her experience as the primary caregiver to her 95-year-old mother, she became a volunteer at Hospice Vaughan. And she provided support to children through a local after school program.

She learned about the Nanny Angel Network after being invited to a NAN event by one of her friends, and it was love at first sight. Milena was blown away by the warm and caring atmosphere among the volunteers and immediately knew that she wanted to be a part of it. She could appreciate how important childcare support was for moms who had cancer and thought she could be of help. Milena knew she was going to fit in at the Nanny Angel Network and couldn’t wait to get started. After completing a screening and the Nanny Angel training program, she soon began providing support to a young mom of three kids. The kids warmed up to her and they became best of friends. They would go on nature walks, lunch dates, and create beautiful crafts together.

Unfortunately, the mom Milena was supporting passed away, and it was difficult for the kids to adjust to their new reality. Thankfully, Milena was there to help them through the grieving process. “I remember going to see the kids after the funeral, and 9-year old Amanda ran up to me and gave me a big hug. And I said to her, ‘do you want anything or have any questions to ask.’ And she replied, ‘Can you just hug me?’ Something so simple as a hug went a long way in reassuring her that things were going to be okay.”

Although it was overwhelming at first for the kids, they soon began opening-up to Milena about their mother. They were able to comfortably initiate discussions about their mom knowing that they were in a safe space. They enjoyed highlighting similarities Milena had with their mom, including her taste in ice cream or specialty drinks. Milena felt like she was able to help the kids get through a very traumatic experience in their lives.

“The kids were very special to me. I was very fortunate to be a part of their lives and family. Supporting these families and helping them through challenging times is truly a rewarding experience."